Leaf-turner



2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

(No Model.)

0. P. BROWN.

LEAF TURNER. No. 431,327. Patented July 1,1890.

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J' L W/TNES V INVENTOR" ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. P. BROWN. LEAP TURNER. No.v 431 327. Patented July 1, 1890.

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A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OYRIL P. BROYVN, OF SPRING LAKE, MICHIGAN.

LEAF-TU RN ER.

BPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,327, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed December 12, 1889- Serial No. 333,432. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

30 it known that I, CYRIL P. BROWN, of Spring Lake,in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Leaf-'lurner, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a device for turnin g the leaves of book or sheet music, or books or manuscripts of any kind; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient instrument of this class which will positively turn the leaves either way through the medium of a conveniently-located lever, which may be actuated by a careless stroke of the hand. The instrument is adapted for attachment to either a vertical or horizontal surface, which it will not mar, and may be folded into comparatively small compass when out of use.

The invention will first be described, and then will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved leaf-turner with the music holder or clamp partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view with the music-clamp in horizontal section on the line 00 a; in Fig. 1. Fig. is a bottom plan view of the instrument. Fig. 4 is a central sectional side view, showing the leaftnrner held to a nearly-vertical music-rack or musical-instrument front by means of a screw fixed to the rack or front. Fig. 5 is a like view showing'the leaf-turner held by a clip fastened to the horizontal ledge of a musicrack or musical instrument. Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the leaf -turning arms with the leaf-holding wire or clip folded down as when out of use; and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the joint between one of the turning-arms and its leaf-clip.

The main or base plate A of theleaf-turner is formed or provided with a couple of upper forwardly-projecting arms B 13, one near each end, and which form restsv for the book or sheet-music the leaves of which are to be turned. At its central rear portion the plate A is provided with an upwardly-projecting tongue or lip a, which is preferably provided with a slot a, made larger at its lower end, to receive a headed, screw for holding the leafturner to a practically vertical wall or support, as hereinafter more fully explained. This tongue at is provided at opposite edges with bent flanges a a forming a way or groove to receive the foot 0 of a sheet-music clamp or holder O. This music-clamp consists simply of two plates 0 c of any suitable material, sheet metal being preferred, and to one of which the foot 0 is fixed. Both plates are pressed to or toward each other by elastic clips 0 c of {1 form, fixed to them. The upper ends of the clam p-plates are bent outward at c c to allow sheet-music to be easily and quickly slipped between the plates to clamp it firmly at the back and'allow the leaves to be turned either way by the leaf turning arms, as hereinafter described.

I provide the base-plate A with three buffers a a a to protect either a vertical support, such as a music-rack, or a horizontal support, such as a ledge or shelf on a music-rack or piano orother musical instrument. These buffers are made preferably of rubber, and the ones a a are placed one near each end of the base-plate, and consist, preferal')ly, of a single piece of rubber slit to receive or straddle the plate, while the other centrallydisposed buffer a is a rubber plug 'fitted tightly into a hole made in the base-plate tongue a above or beyond its slot a, and in such position relatively to the end buffers a a that the entire leaf-turner will stand steadily on the three buffers upon an y fiat nicely-finished surface, as a piano or table-top, without marring it. The baseplate is also provided with a lower forwardly extending tongue a which is provided at its opposite edges with bent flanges a a, forming a way or groove to receive the outer end of a simple metal clip D,whicli will be held by a screw cl to a horizontal ledge of a music rack or instrument.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the base-plate,

and consequently the entire leaf-turner, is-

held to the vertical face of a music rack or holder E by slipping the larger lower end of the base-plate slot to over the head of the screw (2 and then letting the base-plate down until the ends of the buffers a a rest on the ledge e of the support, at whichtime the narrow part of the slot at will be behind the screw-head to retain the leaf-turner, the three buffers (L3 a a then resting flat against the support E to prevent marring its face.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings the leaf-turner is sustained from the flat support F by simply engaging the base-plate flange-guides d with the upbent outer end of the clip -plate I), while the lower ends of the two buffers (1. a rest on the support to prevent marring it.

To the central part of the base-plate A are fixed a parallel pair of arched bracket-plates G G, which project forward face to face a slight distance apart to receive and guide between them the sheetmetal hookplate II, having two opposite hooks h Zr, with lips or projections 71? 71. in front of them. This d uplex hook-plate, which works freely edgewise between the brackets G G, is pivoted by a pin or screw Zr, at the outer end of its bent stem or arm 71 to the outer part of a key-lever I, which at its inner end is fulcru med or pivoted by a pin or screw 1; to the base-plate flange or tongue a.

A forked spring J, which is held preferably by a screw j to the center of the key-lever, has two arms or limbsj'f, which have upturned extremities, which pass through holes or slots t" Z made in the key-lever, and press against opposite sides or edges of said lever, preferably at points not far removed from the pivot lbs of the duplex hook-plate II. This spring J performs two important functions viz., it returns and holds the duplex hookplate II to normal central position after the key-lever is returned to central position, and it also causes the hooks Zr h to positively e11- gage the outermost leaf-turning arm after the shoulder 7L2 in front of either hook passes by said arm, as hereinafter more fullyexplained. The keydever I is returned to normal central position, preferably bya spiral spring K,which is held at one end of the fastening-screwy of the spring J, and at its other end engages a hook 7a, fixed to the lower flange or tongue a of the base-plate. The key-lever is provided with a finger plate or head i, bent into vertical plane and allowing easy and convenient operation of it bya careless stroke of the finger or hand.

Before the arched brackets G G are fixed to the base-plate A the eyes or loops Z of a series of leaf-turning armsL are slipped into them, so as to be held to the outer U-shaped portions 9 of the brackets. These arms L are also provided at one edge and outside their eyes or loops Z with a tongue or finger Z, thereby forming a slot or groove Z between the tongue and the body of the arm to receive the duplex hook-plate II. The base of the arm-slot Z is separated from the arm-loopZ by a cross-piece Z, onto which either of the hooks Zr h of the plate II may act to swing the arm to one side or the other, and during either swinging movement of the arm the engagement of its slot Z with the hook-plate II will cause the arm to move practically in the same plane, and will also hold the arm well up into proper position to positively support the leaf as it is turned and before and afterward. The leaf is held by a wire finger-piece or clip attached to the outer end of the arm, as presently explained. It will be noticed that the hook-plate II has a continuous round main body portion cut away at theinterior to form the hooks Zr 71. and the adjacent lips or projections or shoulders 7L2 71 and that the inner part of the plate, and, in fact, its whole head or body portion, always works between the two brackets G G, which thus sustain the hook-plate flatwise and enable it to always form an etlicient guide and support for the slotted leaf-turningarms, which are fitted to it, as above described.

The music-leaf lingers or clips M are peculiarly made of one piece of wire by bending it over double at the center to form a crosspiece m, and then bending the wire at right angles to the cross-piece m to form eyes or loops m m, which lit one at each face of the leaf-turning arm L, and from these two eyes the wire is bent outward to form two parallel fingers m m between which the music-leaf is slipped and held. The entire clip is pivoted to the outer end of the arm L by a suitable pin m and at one edge the arm is provided with a recess on, into which the crosspiece on enters and stops when the clip is folded down parallel with the arm, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and when the clip is opened back or unfolded from the arm into position for use the cross-piece m comes to a stop against the edge of the arm to brace the clip in proper working position, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7 of the drawings.

The operation of the leaf-turning instrument is very simple and elficient, as follows: \Vhen the instrument is held to a music-rack or to a piano or organ by means of the screw 6 or clip D, as shown in Figs. at and 5 of the drawings, the music, if a book, will be rested on the arms B B, or, if in sheets, will be placed in the clamp C, and when the leaves are slipped into the outturned or unfolded arm-clips M the instrument is ready to turn the clipped leaves in either direction by simply pressing or throwing the key-lever I to one side or the other. \Ve Will suppose that all the arms L M holding the music-leaves are swung over to the left-hand side of the instrument. In this case when the key-lever I is thrown over toward the right hand the double hook-plate II will be also swung on its pivot ha in a peculiar manner, and the shoulder 762 next the hook h will ride over the cross-bars Z of all the inside ar1n-loops Z to prevent engagement of said hook with them; but as the shoulder passes by the loop cross-bar of the outermost arm L the limb or arm y" of the spring J will instantly swing the hook it into engagement with the cross bar Z of the outer arm and cause this arm only and the leaf held by its clip M to be quickly turned over to the right hand as the arm-loop l swings around on the parts g of the bracket-supports G. Then the key-lever is released, the spring K restores it and the hook-plate ll to normal intermediate positions, and the next time the key-leveris swung over to the right hand the next outer arm and attached leaf will in like manner be turned over by the hook h of the plate H toward the right. It is obvious that when the key-lever I is swung over toward the left hand the outer arm L, then at the right-hand side of the instrument, will be engaged by the hook it of the plate ll, the limb of the spring J then engz'iging said hook with the cross-bar I. of the arm-loop to swing the arm and attached leaf back again to thelefthand. 'lhe music-leaves may thus be quickly and positively turned either to the right or left hand by throwing the key-lever to the right or left and. without the least danger of turning more than one leaf at a time, or of failure in turning a leaf when the key-lever is operated, even though it be thrown over by a careless stroke of the hand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and a guide, of leafturning arms placed loosely on the guide, a

key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a hookplate carried by the keylever and having a shoulder next the hook, and a spring, normally throwing the hook into engagement with the outermost leaf-turning arm as the key-lever is operated, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and a guide, of leafturning arms placed loosely on the guide, a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a plate carried by the key-lever and provided with two opposite hooks and adjacent shoulders, and two spring-arms acting on the hook-plate and causing engagement of either hook with a leaf-turning arm as the key is operated, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and a guide, of leaf turning arms placed loosely on the guide, a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a hook plate carried by the key-lever and having shoulders next the hooks, a spring normally throwing the hook or hooks into engagement with the outermost arm as the key-lever is operated, and a spring retracting the key-lever and hook-plate to normal intermediate positions, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and a guide, of leafturuing arms placed loosely on the guide, a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a plate carried by the key-lever and provided with two opposite hooks and adjacent shoulders, a spring normally engaging each book with the outermost arm as the key-lever is operated, and a spiral spring K, held to the key-lever and support and retracting the lever and gagement with the outermost leaf-turning arm as the key-lever is operated, substantially as herein set forth.

6. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and two bracket-guides thereon, of a series of leaf turning arms looped to said guides, a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a hook-plate pivoted to the keylever and lying between the two guides and provided with hooks 7L 7t and adjacent shoulders 72/ and a spring normally throwing either hook into engagement with the outermost leaf-turnin g arm as the key-lever is operated, substantially as herein set forth.

7. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and a guide thereon, of a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a series of leafturning arms held to the guide, a shouldered hook-plate pivoted to the lever, and a spring normally throwing the hook or hooks of said plate into engagement with the outermost leaf-turning arm as the key-lever is operated, said leaf-turning arms each having a slot into which the hook-plate enters to steady the arms in their swinging movements and sustain them when adjusted, substantially as herein set forth.

8. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with a support or base-plate and two bracket-guides thereon, of a key-lever fulcrumed to the support, a series of leaf-turning arms looped at their inner ends around the two guides, a shouldered hook-plate pivoted to the key-lever and held between the two guides, and a spring normally throwing the hook or hooks into engagement with the outermost leafturning arm as the key-lever is operated, said leaf-turning arms each having a slot into which the hook-plate enters, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

9. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the swinging leaf-turning arms, of leaf-clips held to their outer ends and formed with a cross-bar m, two adjacent side loops or eyes m 'm', through which passes the pivot holding the clip to the arm, and two leaf-receiving fingers p11 m extending from the pivoteyes, substantially as herein set forth.

10. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the swinging leaf-turning arms having an edge recess in, of leaf-clips held to the arms and formed with a cross-bar m, two adjacent side loops or eyes m m, through which passes time the cross-piece m enters the arm-recess m, and adapted also to be unfolded when the cross-piece forms a stop against the arm, substantially as herein set forth.

11. In a leaf-turner, the supporting baseplate made with a screw-receivingslot at in its upper part, and with clip-receiving flanges or openings a at its lower portion, substantially as described, whereby the leaf-turner may be held by a headed screw or pin to a vertical support and by a clip to a horizontal support, substantially as herein set forth.

12. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the support or base-plate, of two end cushions (L3 a and a center cushion a, disposed to prevent marring of a vertical or horizontal support, to which the leaf-turner maybe held, and adapted also to sustain the instrument on a flat surface, substantially as herein set forth.

13. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the support, a base-plate provided with an upper socket, and leaf-turningarms and operating mechanism held to the support, of a detachable sheetanusie clamp consisting of two plates, one having a foot adapted to the base-plate socket, and spring-clips pressing: the clamp-plates toward each other, substantially as herein set forth.

ll. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the support or base-plate having an upper tongue a, provided with side flanges 11 forming a socket, and leaf-turning, arms and operating mechanism held to the support, of a detachable sheet-music clamp 0, consisting; of two plates 0 having out-turned upper ends 00*, the plate a having a foot 0, adapted to the flanges a, and spring-clips 0, held to the plates and pressing them toward each other, substantially as herein set forth.

CYRIL P. BROWN.

Witnesses:

H. PEIRCE, A. W. RIDEOUT. 

